The Pumpkin Argument
by Anlynne
Summary: Draco, in a quest to end his wife's desire for a muggle Halloween, hides their daughter's costume.


Hermione searched everywhere, under the couch and chairs, in the fireplace, the kitchen and the cellar. Sweat dotted her brow in fury and exhaustion. She had checked in every drawer, cranny and past all the decorations. Magical spiders made Halloween themed images in their webs, the Jack-O-Lanterns imitated a wireless, singing spooky songs. Hermione and Draco worked all day in preparation for his favorite night of the year.

However, Draco was a pure-blood and costumes and trick-or-treating were things he had never heard of - much less participated in. When their daughter was born exactly a year ago she told him all of the wonderful things they could do the following year, he balked. Hermione wasn't about to give up, though. She would give her Joanne a muggle Halloween.

She pounded on the bathroom door, the steam peppered with his musky soap seeping through the cracks. "Where is it," she yelled when the water cut off. "Where is Jo's costume?"

Draco's wet blonde head popped out from the crack he made in the door, Hermione's face washed in the rolling steam. A droplet of water rolled off his nose. "I have no idea to what you're speaking of, love. Jo's costume? Isn't it on her cob?"

She felt her face heat red, hating it when Draco lied to her, although he was rubbish at it. Like her, he never had sufficient practice before the war, but she had learned quickly while Draco continued to fail miserably. This gave her a large amount of satisfaction.

"Draco Malfoy, I know you took it. Come on, Harry and Ginny will be here soon."

"Hermione," he said in his most reasonable tone, "the costume is ridiculous. The whole idea of going house to house to take candy from strangers is absurd and dangerous. I can't believe you of all people are going along with this silly tradition."

"Don't use such words as 'ridiculous,' 'silly' and 'absurd' when it comes to muggle traditions. It's my culture you're talking about."

"I apologize," he said sincerely, the crinkles in the corners of his eyes showing the pain of his past. If his breeding had any say he wouldn't have ever married her, and if Hermione had kept her common sense she wouldn't have married him either. Despite the lack of logic, they fit, and Hermione chose her heart over her head and there was not a day she regretted it. Although this day was coming close.

"Don't you think for a moment that I'll let her have any candy without doing proper testing on it first. Molly taught me last week a helpful new spell."

"A pumpkin, Hermione?"

"I was a pumpkin when I was her age."

"And when you were old enough to choose your own costume?"

"A witch," she whispered. It was something she hadn't told anyone in he wizarding world - not even Harry and Ron. Every Halloween she maintained her stance on being a witch. When Dumbledore had visited her house, literally, her dreams had come true.

"That's funny seeing as you grew up to be the greatest witch in England." He touched her chin lightly.

"Draco, where is Jo's costume?"

He opened the door wider, leaning against the frame and giving her a full view of his smooth and glistening chest. She refused to be diverted, forcing herself to stare into his smug face. He could dislike it all he wanted, but Hermione was immune to his charm. Draco seemed to take it as a personal challenge.

"What is your problem with pumpkins," she pressed, "it's what we call her."

"I know you want to give her a muggle Halloween, dressing her up in these odd sort of clothing, but that's not what Malfoy's do."

"You'd want to go as Merlin, if you were a child."

His face turned to stone, a sign that she was hitting the right spot.

"Can't we go to my parents? They have a ball and Jo will love it. They put on light shows, go bobbing for apples, dancing. We've never danced, Hermione. Not even at our wedding."

"Because we eloped. Look, we're going to your parents afterward and her outfit is picked out. A frock. And yes, it has pumpkins on it."

Draco groaned, but Hermione had enough. Picking out her wand from the waistband of her jeans she placed the tip under his chin. She smiled sweetly at him. "Where is the costume?"

His hands grazed her hips. "Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you're threatening me?"

"If you don't tell me what you did to the pumpkin costume, I will turn you into a pumpkin."

He exhaled slowly, his eyes crossed on the wand. "You better not tell my parents that we're letting complete strangers hand her candy."

"It's a deal, Malfoy." She placed her wand back in her jeans. "So where is it?"

He attempted a smile, but it came out as a wince. "It's in the study."

She raced into his mahogany study to see that on the corner of his desk, carelessly wadded up was Joanne's costume. She grabbed it and glared at him ruthlessly. "You'll pay for that."

"My dear, I think I'm having a good influence on you," he said, but his eyes showed fear.

Hermione wielded her wand and ran after him down the stairs.

**Thirty Minutes Later...**

Joanne sat in front of the pile of lit Jack-O-Lanterns, dressed in her pumpkin costume, tufts of her blonde hair sticking out of her hat. She clapped her hands and giggled as they sung to her. The doorbell was barely heard over the music.

"Love, will you get the door?"

Draco sulked on the couch, a wizard's magazine high in front of his face. "As your husband, I'm asking you to reverse the spell."

"And miss this?" Hermione checked herself in the mirror above the mantle one last time. She, too was dressed as a pumpkin to match her daughter. Draco pursed his lips at her, but she was sure she would get the last laugh.

On the doorstep Harry, Ginny and their young sons, James and Albus were dressed as glow-in-the-dark skeletons, the bones shining green. It was very muggle; Arthur Weasley must have been ecstatic.

Hermione grinned and embraced them in turn. "This is a fantastic idea, Harry."

James and Albus pushed past her to see Joanne who was quite taken aback by their appearance. Hesitantly she reached out to touch the white and black paint on their faces. When they hooked their mouths sideways she giggled until she fell over onto her side.

"Hey, Draco," Harry greeted.

Draco didn't lower the magazine. "Hey, mate."

Swiftly, Hermione snatched the magazine to give her friend's a good view of her handiwork. Draco's face was painted as pumpkin, his clothes a bright orange and a steamed orange hat on his head unable to come off (at least not until she reversed the spell, which she had no intention of doing until his parents ball).

The boys howled and Ginny giggled. "Oi, what happened to you?"

"Ask Hermione!"

"He hid Jo's costume," she defended herself.

"I think the two of you have been together too long," said Harry. "You should be proud, mate. She learned this from you."

Draco sneered his old schoolboy sneer. "I beg to differ, you and Ron taught her all of this. This," he pointed to his face, "is your fault. If you remember, I wasn't around much then."

"You were around plenty," Ginny said.

"Get used to it," Hermione smiled, "we're going to do this every year." She kissed his orange cheek and turned to scoop up their daughter, placing her on her hip.

* * *

A/N: This is a quickly written drabble. Hope you enjoyed!


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